National infrastructure asset management strategy: a recipe for acceleration towards efficiency

Abstract

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) has for a number of years been in the process of formulating the numerous layers of a national water services infrastructure asset management (IAM) strategy. Earlier work included: a "scan" of the state of South Africa's water services IAM; analysis of the state of IAM, identifying elements needed for an enabling environment to ensure sound IAM: and the identification of a set of priority strategic actions. During March 2009 the following key documents were tabled: National Water Services Infrastructure Asset Management Strategy, National Water Services Strategy IAM, Implementation Framework, The (draft) Municipal Guide on Roles and Responsibilities to Perform Infrastructure Asset Management for Water Services. The role of the National Strategy is to guide the sector in its IAM work. The National Implementation Framework describes what is required of national supporting agencies (principally DWAF, dplg and Treasury) in appropriately supporting municipalities and other water services institutions to implement appropriate IAM. The Municipal Guide is designed to support municipal decision-makers – both political and administrative. It outlines roles and responsibilities for IAM from a municipal perspective